1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an adjustable and portable device for conditioning, exercising and walking animals, in particular dogs and cats.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Overweight and out-of-condition animals experience many similar health problems to those of humans. The American Animal Hospital Association estimates that obesity affects 40% of all dogs in the United States due to too much food and too little exercise. Congestion, lack of space and various city ordinances leave city residents at a loss to provide adequate exercise for their animals without reoccurring expense of hired human walkers. Moreover, the ability of the elderly and handicapped to provide their pets with proper exercise is severely limited.
Pure-bred dog shows, a billion dollar business, is sorely in need of an alternative method to keep contending animals in peak condition for competition. A professional dog handler transports an average of 8 to 15 dogs to between 125 and 150 dog shows per year. The dogs spend an overwhelming amount of that time in the confines of crates not unlike those which airlines use in transport. After an exhausting 12 to 15 hour day of grooming and showing the dogs, these handlers have little time or energy to maintain sufficient, consistent methods of exercising and conditioning the dogs.
There are several devices in the prior art which are used to walk or exercise animals. U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,029, entitled ANIMAL EXERCISING DEVICE, to Pillsbury, discloses a portable, power operated device which can exercise several animals at a time. This device has extendable arms for adjusting the arm length outward and an extendable vertical post to move the arms upward or downward relative to the ground. When the device is to be moved, the arms can be rotated upward and then must be hooked into place to hold them in this upward position. Because the arms fold upward, this device does not fit into short spaces and so the portability, is limited. Moreover, the base cannot be easily moved.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,892, entitled EXERCISER FOR ANIMALS, to Kusisto, discloses an animal exercising device which has "simulated bait" on one arm to induce an animal hooked to the other arm to move in a rotational path. U.S. Pat. No. 2,831,457, entitled ANIMAL EXERCISING DEVICE, to McMurry, discloses an animal exercising device which has an animal retarding shield to keep the animal moving in the rotational path. Neither of these devices provide for adjustable or foldable arms, or easily portable bases.
There are several horse walking devices in the prior art, but these devices have limited adjustability and portability. U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,686, entitled HORSE EXERCISER DRIVE MECHANISM, to MacGillivray, discloses an adjustable speed device for walking or trotting horses. U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,274, entitled HORSE WALKER HAVING A CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION AND FOLDING BOOMS, to Curtis, discloses a horse walking device having a variable speed transmission and booms or arms which can be folded upward with the aid of a hydraulic jack. U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,551, entitled HORSE WALKER, to Losaw, discloses a horse walking device having booms which nest together on one side for moving or storing the device. U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,018, entitled HORSE WALKER, to Profughi, discloses a motorized rotational horse walking device having a slip clutch. U.S. Pat. No. 3,424,132, entitled HORSE WALKER, to Fischer et al., also discloses the use of a slip clutch for a rotational horse walker.